This report analyzes information gathered by a task force, appointed by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), to investigate the current status of emergency or substandard certification measures used by state agencies and school districts. In an overview, the task force defines the role of teacher certification and chronicles briefly the historical evolution of teacher licensure and certification concepts. The second part of the report examines relevant research studies to document the empirical basis for the claim that fully certified teachers are more effective as teachers and more satisfied as professionals than those with substandard qualifications. The third part of the report identifies questionable practices which raise qualitative issues: (1) assigning certified personnel to teach out-of-field; (2) issuing emergency certificates to unqualified persons; and (3) seeking alternative routes to certification which weaken or eliminate pedagogical competency. A comparative analysis is made of temporary procedures used by other professions. Eleven recommendations are suggested as alternatives to granting emergency teaching certificates to unqualified personnel. Appendices include: (1) summary of professional organizations' positions on emergency certification; (2) questionnaires sent to state directors of teacher certification and state AACTE presidents; and (3) the AACTE resolution on emergency certificates for teachers. (JD)